The Shadows
by diablo666
Summary: What I believe happened in the famous Malfoy/Theodore Nott chapter which JKR had to omit at the last minute. Oneshot.


Cloaked by a group of low-lying clouds, two cloaked figures on broomsticks flew out from the horizon. Flanked by darkness and rain, their Disillusionment Charms were nearly redundant; however no charm could change the fact that flight in this weather was a particularly rough and difficult experience.

Eventually the older one of the two saw flashes of gold on the ground and realised they were close to their destination.

"We're here, Theodore. Time to land."

Theodore complied as he and the older man forced their way through sheets of cloud and rain to finally come to a bumpy halt on a large front lawn.

"Are you all right, son?"

"Yes." Theodore's voice enunciated clearly from under the large cloak.

The duo returned to each other's sides as they strolled up a long stone pathway flanked on either side by golden peacocks.

"Ah, Lucius. Always with the ostentatious gesture," were the elder man's quiet whispers to himself as they approached the door of Malfoy Manor.

"Should I…?" Theodore indicated towards the large knocker on the door.

"No, don't worry." As he said that, the door was opened by none other than Lucius Malfoy.

"Polaris, my old friend." He shook hands with the elderly gentleman before turning to Theodore. "Hello, son."

"Good evening, Mr Malfoy."

"How have your holidays been?"

"Quiet, sir."

"Ah, yes. Draco is in the backyard, if you would like to join him there? Your father and I have business to discuss."

"Thank you, sir." Theodore shook hands with Lucius Malfoy, before taking his leave and began to drift around the large manor. He had visited it many times before, however he knew this visit was different. His father and Mr Malfoy had important business to discuss.

However, he could never fail to be just a little bit captivated by the grandeur of Malfoy Manor. While his father had always told him to not feel inferior to Draco Malfoy – he was, after all, as much of a pure blood as him and somewhat smarter to boot – but he couldn't fail to unfavourably compare his own small home on the outskirts of Muggle London to Malfoy Manor.

"Oh well. We are equal in the eyes of the Dark Lord," he said to himself as he spotted Draco Malfoy tossing a Snitch in the air in the equally large back garden.

"Might want to be a bit quicker against Gryffindor this year, Malfoy," he called out as Draco dropped the Snitch from turning around to see him.

"If it was that easy, you can do it." Draco grumbled, but he had a slight smile on his face. The two boys – Nott tall and stringy, Malfoy small and stocky – approached each other and shook hands.

"Nott."

"Malfoy."

"How was it flying in that weather?"

"You imagine. It was pretty bloody difficult."

"Yeah. Thank God for Father's Sunlight Charm." Malfoy clapped his hands together and a small house elf Apparated towards both of them.

"Alfred, get us drinks. Two Gillywaters with a shot of Firewhiskey. And quickly, please."

"Yes, Master Malfoy." The elf bowed low and Disapparated.

"New elf?"

"Yeah, Mother's been looking out for one recently. Thankfully the Parkinson's mother elf just had twins, so they gave the second one to us. Good elf, does his work without the irritation that our old one subjected us to. Accio chairs!" was his final shout as he pointed his wand at two deckchairs under the awning. The chairs floated (despite one bumping the ground at one point) towards the two boys. Malfoy immediately seated himself in the aerial chair, leaving the grounded one to Nott.

"See you still haven't improved at Charms."

"I passed my OWL, thank you. And what does it all matter in the end anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

At that point Alfred returned with the boys' drinks.

"Mistress says that you are not allowed Firewhiskey, however I have provided two Gillywaters for young sirs." He handed a drink to Malfoy first before passing the second to Nott.

Malfoy grunted. "Very well. You may go now." Alfred bowed low to both boys before Disapparating.

For the next few minutes, the boys did not say anything as they sipped their drinks. They had differing reasons for their silence. For Theodore, it was simple – he was simply not big on chit chat. Having been raised by a distant widower for a father, he had long appreciated his solitude and tended to keep his distance from most people, even Draco and his gang. While he would never say it to his face, he believed that Malfoy was too much of a showman and a bully – hexing a few Mudbloods here and there is well and good, but Nott preferred to work in the shadows.

For Draco, on the other hand, things were not so simple. He had gotten through life up till that point primarily by bullying his peers. By choosing to surround himself with pure-blood bogans like Crabbe and Goyle, he could lord over those who were not as pure blooded as him, those who were weaker or less capable…but Nott was none of those things. His blood was as pure as Draco's, and he was also considerably more intelligent. The quiet loner image he had built up for himself also concealed a steely determination underneath. In short, while he too would never admit it, he was slightly afraid of Theodore Nott.

Plus, Draco had other worries on his mind. The task he had been given by the Dark Lord, for one. How was he to do it? What could be a possible way?

His plans were interrupted, however, by Theodore's voice.

"The times, they are changing." His voice stayed a deadpan monotone.

Malfoy was somewhat taken aback. "Yeah. They are."

"Just think for a while. When the Dark Lord rules, we will be supreme. No more of Dumbledore's Mudblood loving bollocks. Nice to think about, isn't it? Maybe we can even re-open the Chamber of Secrets – didn't it get to the blood traitor Weasley girl last time?"

Malfoy had never heard Nott say as much at once. "Yeah. It is nice to think about. But it's not over yet."

Nott scoffed. "Please. Who's going to stand in our way? Harry Potter?" Before Malfoy could say anything, he continued. "No, none of us knows how he survived as a baby, and quite frankly I don't think the Dark Lord cares. No mortal being can defeat the Dark Lord twice."

"Didn't your dad tell you about the prophecy?"

"I took Divination. I know first hand that prophecies are a load of crap."

"I've wondered what it says. Could Potter possibly be immortal, you wonder?"

"Potter, immortal? Rubbish."

"Well, how else do you imagine he's still breathing?"

Theodore paused for a second. "I really don't know. Maybe…maybe he had some kind of special protection? I wouldn't know how, but I'm fairly sure Dumbledore would have known something."

"I doubt that any magic Dumbledore knows can withstand a Killing Curse. If he did, why just protect a baby? Why not every single bloody Order member?"

"True." Theodore sighed again. "Maybe the prophecy did mean something? We'll probably never know. All we know is that he isn't getting away with it twice."

"I'll drink to that." The two boys raised their glasses and clicked them together.

"So, I hear the Dark Lord has plans for you?"

Malfoy was shocked. How did Nott know? What did he know?

"Oh, um…yeah. He's given me a job."

"So what is it? Tell us."

"I can't. You know what can happen."

"Yeah, if you talk to scum. You know me. Would I get between you and the Dark Lord? If you tell me what's happening, I can help you. Then the Dark Lord would be favourable to both of us."

Malfoy was then in a minor dilemma. On one hand, the Dark Lord had basically sworn him to secrecy. And an order from the Dark Lord was to be obeyed. But on the other hand, Nott was as devoted to the cause as he was. Surely the Dark Lord wouldn't mind? Plus, he could use his brains and general help.

"Oh, um…"

Just then Mr Nott joined the boys.

"I'm sorry to have to break you boys up, but we have finished and Theodore, Mr Malfoy has arranged a Portkey for us so we don't have to fly through the rain. And it leaves in a minute."

Theodore got up. "Guess I'll see you in a few weeks then."

"Yeah. Send an owl."

"Sure."

And with that, Theodore Nott grabbed hold of the old clock that was being used as a Portkey. Within seconds, he and his father were gone, leaving Draco with more questions than answers.


End file.
